The Pokémon Company and Game Freak have revealed the Battle Stadium in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield.

This will require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription and will let you connect to the internet to battle against Trainers from around the world, as well as access other features such as Rental Teams and Online Competitions.

Note: A Nintendo Switch Online membership (paid) is required to use the Battle Stadium. There is no need to set up a Pokémon Global Link account.

Ranked Battles

In Ranked Battles, you can take on Pokémon Trainers from across the globe with a Battle Team you trained up, in an attempt to become the most powerful Trainer in the world. As the name implies, you will have a rank in Ranked Battles that indicates how strong you are as a Trainer. Your rank will change depending on the results of your battles. You’ll face Trainers of a similar rank, so your battles are sure to be challenging.

Each rank in Ranked Battles belongs to a specific tier. The top tier is where Trainers will take part in intense Ranked Battles, with everyone aiming to become the best in the world.

You can check your own ranking in the Battle Stadium when you’re competing in the highest ranks. And check out the smartphone version of Pokémon HOME if you want to see how all participants of a competition placed or the rankings of the Pokémon used. In Ranked Battles, your rank will go down a certain amount at the end of each season before being carried over to a new season.

Casual Battles

In Casual Battles, you can enjoy Pokémon battles without worrying about who wins and who loses. Another noteworthy aspect of Casual Battles is that you can use certain Legendary Pokémon and Mythical Pokémon that are not eligible for Ranked Battles.

Battle Rules

There are two formats for battles in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. Players can take part in the Single Battle and Double Battle formats. You can choose from these two battle formats for Ranked Battles and Casual Battles, too.

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield will release exclusively for Nintendo Switch worldwide on November 15th.